Eductor device



April 15, 1952 s. A. HAYES 2,592,896

EDUCTOR DEVICE Filed Feb. 10, 1949 FIG. 2.

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INVENTOR. STANLEY A. HAYES BY v .4 T TORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFi-cE EDUCTOR DEVICE StanleyA. Hayes, Pasadena, Calif.,

Application'February 10, 1949; Serial No. 75,561

11 Claims. 1,.

This-invention relates to spraying apparatus and particularly to an eductor of the type in which a-first'liquid is proportioned into a carrier stream of another liquid. The invention provides an im: proved eductor particularly useful as a garden sprayer for liquid or liquified insecticides, commercial fertilizers and the like;

Eductorsof the type having a sidelegor orifice openinginto a relatively larger passageway for a'carrier liquid have been in use for a long time; The constant aim of manufacturers of these devices is toimprove their operation and utility, and at thesame time reduce manufacturhag-costs; Thepresent inventionis directed to these-ends.

Oneyimportant factor-in'the operation of such an-geductor isthe-tendency of a device: of this character to plug, and if plugged the ease with which it'may be cleaned; To construct an eductor-- in which arelatively'small proportionof a first-liquid-is drawn into a. relatively large portion ofaicarrier liquid, it is necessary to reduce the flow of the, first liquid by providinga constricted suction leg. Foreign'matter in the first liquid or residue deposited on drying is apt to plug or at least unduly restrict thesuction leg soas to preventor interferewith the operation of the eductor.

I' have now developed an eductor of extremely simple design, which has less tendency to clog thanexisting eductors, which is'easily cleaned t0 forestall-clogging, or to remove foreign particles, and which includes simple and yet reliable-means for-controlling the flow of the first liquid into thecarrier'liquid; the proportion of the two liquids being'maintained substantially, constant over a wide range of pressures for the carrier liquid. The simplified construction of the eductor of the invention results in a reduction in manufactur in' icostsand'cohsequently in the cost to the consumer. The comparativefreedom fromclogging and the ease with which the eductor'may be cleaned make it'highly reliable and, easily maintained'. This is. a big, advantage to the individualtuse'rwho must depend on accurate operation'with a; minimum of care. The fact that the eductor accurately maintains a predetermined proportion of the two liquids over a wide pressure range permits its use under substantially any conditions of water main pressurejnormally en: countered, and assures the operator that the'mix; tur'eproduced by the eductor will be of correot and constant strength. I

, In: o e; embodime t e ed c r f e n fen: ticril-comprisesa eds: m mber av nean nt g i l nipple for connection to a source of carrierliquid and a stepped passageway therethroughconnect ing-between' the nipple and an opposite outlet. A pa-irof openings in the wall of'the body member' openinto the passageway intermediate its ends, oneofthe openings terminating in a second-nipple in the side of the body. The second nipple provides means for aflixing a container of afirst liquid to the eductor. A pairof bushings are disposed in the passageway and are spaced therein on opposite sides of the side openings, the bushings beingdrilled on the longitudinal axis of the passageway permitting fiow of carrier. liquid therethrough and restricting the passageway so as to form an eductor; with the- Openings.

Theother-of the side opemngs-opens to the atn-iosphere and may-be used to control the flow of the first liquid into the carrier stream. Thus, with theatmosphericopening unobstructed the eductor-will-suokonlY air into the carrier stream and with the atmospheric opening obstructed-by the user-s thumb, for example, the eductor will sucle the first liquid from the container into the eductor stream through the first mentioned; side opening.-

The invention will be iully understood from the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the. accompanying drawing. in which;

Fig.' 1- is a sideielevation ofthe eductonof-the andto a'container of first liquid;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the eductor of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevationtaken on the line Fig. 4= is a sectional elevation taken on the. line 4 .4 of Fig,- 3

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1. shows. an eductor ill in accordancecwith the invention con-e. nected to a hose It or other source ofcarrier liquid and having a container l4 attached-to itsunder side.

The eductor I0 comprises a substantial cylin-. drical body I6 having a, nipple ll. formed onone endthereof anda passageway l8 extendingimm the inner portion of the nipple I! through the bodyand opening at the opposite'end thereof. A wiremesh screen 2,!) may be. disposed in the inner end of. the nipple across the passageway l8 to prevent large particles, of foreign matten from entering the eductor. The screen is held therein by a washer 2| which also, serves to seal the hose or: other source of carrier'liquid in the nipple, I l. The; passageway I 8, is formed inf fouristepped sec;

a cns we, we; b; 21. ea s s eed ee eg ies;

from the nipple I! to the outlet being of larger diameter than the preceding, and the sections I83 and I 8D being relatively long compared to the sections ISA and IBC.

A cylindrical projection 24 is formed integrally on the top surface of the body member. A second cylindrical projection 25 is formed integrally on the lower side of the body member, the projection 25 extending into a second nipple 26 formed integrally on the lower side of the body member. The container I4 is aifixed to the eductor by connection with the nipple 26 so that the extension 25 opens into the container and provides means for connecting a flexible tube 28 from the eductor to the bottom of the container I4.

An opening 39 is formed in the projection 24 opening at one end into section I8B of the passageway I8. The opening 30 provides an atmospheric vent into the passageway for the purpose hereinafter described.

A second opening 32 formed in the extension 25 also opens into section 813 of the passageway opposite opening 30 and communicates with the rubber tube 28. The opening 32 comprises a small diameter section 32A and a flared section 32B. As above described, to construct an eductor wherein the amount of the first liquid drawn into a carrier liquid is comparatively small, it is necessary that the flow of the first liquid be restricted by means of an orifice or small diameter suction leg. An orifice is not entirel satisfactory since it tends to catch any foreign particles in the first liquid and thereby increases the tendency of the eductor to clog. Similarly, a small diameter suction leg is not entirely satisfactory since the elongated restricted bore in such a leg is easily plugged and very difiicult to clean.

I have reduced the tendency of such an eductor to clog by providing a comparatively large suction leg, i. e. tube 28 communicating with the restricted section 32A of opening 32 through the tapered section 32B of the opening. This construction eliminates the objectionable features of both an orifice and asmall diameter suction leg since the comparatively short section 32A of the hole 32 is not easily clogged as there is no abrupt constriction as in the case of an orifice to trap foreign particles. Additionally, the system is easily cleaned by inserting a small swab through the atmospheric hole 38, diametrically through the passageway I8 and through the restricted section 32A of opening 32.

To form an eductor within the passageway I8, bushings 34, 35 are inserted therein and are spaced on either side of the openings 30, 32. The correct placement of the bushings in the passageway'is determined by the configuration of the passageway and the shape and size of the bushings. The bushing 34 is cylindrical and is pressed into the section IBB of the passageway through the larger diameter end of the passageway until it fits snugly against annular shoulder 36 formed in the body by the step between sections ISA and I8B of the passageway. The bushing 35 is cylindrical with an annular flange at its outer end which abuts against shoulder 31 formed between sections I83 and 18C of the passageway.

The bushing 34 has a stepped passageway therethrough comprising section 40A of a smaller diameter than section I8A of the passageway I8 and section 49B of a smaller diameter than section 40A. Carrier liquid flowing through the passageway 40 issues from the outlet end of section 403 in a jet. Bushing 35 is also provided with a stepped passageway 42. Passageway 42 includes a section 42A of larger diameter than section 49B of the passageway 40 in bushing 34 and a section 42B of smaller diameter than section 42A. The jet of carrier liquid issuing from passageway 48 expands into section 42A of passageway 42 creating a negative pressure in that portion of section IBB of passageway I8 lying between the bushings and adjacent the openings. The restricted section 423 at the outlet end of bushing 35 serves as a choke which has the eiTect of maintaining a constant proportioning factor regardless of pressure changes at the source of carrier liquid.

A deflector or spray former 46 is mounted at the outlet end ISA of the body I6 which is of smaller diameter than the rest of the body. The spray former includes an outwardly protruding curvilinear lip 41 against which the liquid stream issuing from the passageway l8 impinges. A split ring 48 is formed integrally on the spray former 46 and is sprun over the relatively small end ISA of the body to hold the spray former thereon.

To increase the strength of the body it is webbed; web 58 extending between the nipple I1 and the projection 24; web 5| between the projection 24 and the outlet end IBA of the body.

Because of the design of the eductor whereby the actual eduction portion thereof is formed by the two inserted bushings, the body may be made as a casting and does not require machining. The diameter of the various sections of the passageway I8 is not highly critical and the only machining that need be done is on the bushings themselves. This is considerably easier from a production standpoint than is machining of the body bore itself.

Any changes in the shape of the body as for example, removal of the webs 50, 51, will have no eifect on the operation of the device and are contemplated in the present invention. Other changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of another liquid comprising a body member, a stepped passageway through the body member between an inlet and an outlet, a pair of openings in the wall of the body member opening into said passageway at circumferentially spaced points, and a pair of bushings disposed in said passageway, one on either side of said openings, each of the bushings having a stepped passageway therethrough of decreasing diameter from inlet to outlet. 2. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of another liquid comprising a body member, a passageway through the body member between an inlet and an outlet, the passageway formin stepped sections of increasing diameter from inlet to outlet, a pair of openings in the wall of the body member opening into a section of said passageway, and a pair of bushings disposed in said passageway, one on either side of said openings, and restricting the diameter of said section of said passageway on either side of said openings.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the bore in each of the bushings is stepped and is of reduced diameter adjacent the outlet end of the bushing.

4. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of another liquid comprising a body member, a passageway through the body member between an inlet and an outlet, the passageway being in stepped sections of increasin diameter from inlet to outlet, a pair of openings in the wall of the body member opening into a section of said passageway, and a pair of bushings disposed in said passageway, one on either side of said openings, each of said bushings having a stepped passageway 'therethrough of decreasing diameter from inlet to outlet.

5. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of a second liquid comprising a body member, a first nipple on one end of the body member for connection to a source of said second liquid, a second nipple on the side of said body member for connection to a container of said first liquid, a passageway running through the body member from the first nipple to an outlet at the opposite end thereof, the passageway being in stepped sections of increasing diameter from the first nipple to the outlet, a pair of openings in the -,wall of the body member and opening into the stepped section of the passageway which is located approximately midway between the first nipple and said outlet, one of said openings communicating with the second nipple, and a pair of bushings disposed in said passageway, one on either side of said openings and restricting the diameter of said passageway on either side of said openings.

6. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of a second liquid comprising a body member, a first nipple on one end of the body member for connection to a source of said second liquid, a second nipple on the side of said body member for connection to a container of said first liquid, a passageway running through the body member from the first nipple to an outlet at the opposite end thereof, the passageway being in stepped sections of increasing diameter from the first nipple to the outlet, a pair of openings in the wall of the body member and opening into the stepped section of the passageway which is approximately centrally located between the first nipple and said outlet, one of said openings communicating with the second nipple, a first bushing disposed in said centrally located section and abutting against the step separating the said section and the preceding section on the inlet side, a second bushing disposed in said centrally located section, the second bushing having an annular shoulder abutting against the step between the centrally located section and the succeeding section on the outlet side, the bushings being spaced on opposite sides of said openings and each having a passageway therethrough, the passageways in each of the bushings being restricted adjacent the outlet ends thereof.

7. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of a second liquid comprising a body member, a first nipple on one end of the body member for connection to a source of said second liquid, a second nipple on the side of said body member for connection to a container of said first liquid, a passageway running through the body member from the first nipple to an outlet at the opposite end thereof, the passageway being in stepped sections of increasing diameter from the first nipple to the outlet, a pair of openings' in the wall of the body member and opening into the stepped section of the passageway which is approximately centrally located between the first nipple and said outlet, one of said openings communicating with the second nipple, the other of said openings opening to the atmosphere, at first bushing disposed in said centrally located section and abutting. against the step separating the said section and the preceding section on the inlet side, a second bushing disposed in said centrally located section, the second bushing having an annular fiange abutting against the step between the centrally located section and the succeeding section on the outlet side, the bushings being spaced on opposite sides of said openings and each having a passageway therethrough, the passageways in each of the bushings being restricted adjacent the outlet ends thereof.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the said one of said openings is cylindrical adjacent the passageway and thereafter tapers outwardly to open into the second nipple.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the body is provided with opposite cylindrical projections extending outwardly therefrom perpendicular to the passageway therein, the said pair of openings being formed in said cylindrical projections.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the bushings are press fit into said passageway.

11. An eductor for sucking a first liquid into a carrier stream of another liquid comprising a body member, a passageway through the body member between an inlet and an outlet, a pair of openings in the wall of the body member opening into said passageway at circumferentially spaced points between the inlet and outlet, a first bushing disposed in said passageway between said pair of openings and the inlet, and a second bushing disposed in said passageway between the pair of openings and the outlet, the first and second bushings having aligned cylindricalbores therethrough, the diameter of the bore in the second bushing being larger than the diameter of the bore in the first bushing.

STANLEY A. HAYES.

REFERENCES CITEIi The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 128,490 Hayes July 29, 1941 1,519,312 Kelleher Dec. 16, 1924 1,986,489 Wahlbom et al. Jan. 1, 1935 2,083,851 Marcy June 15, 1937 2,107,084 Pletcher Feb. 1, 1938 2,271,722 Thornton Feb. 3, 1942. 2,343,269 Aaron -1 Mar. 7, 1944 2,381,589 Hayes Aug. 7, 1945 2,541,798 White Feb. 13, 1951 

